‘And Then They Came for Us’ Documentary and Panel Sunday, Feb. 10

In 1942, a federal executive order changed the lives of 120,000 Japanese Americans—taking them from their homes and placing them in distant internment camps for the balance of World War II. Their constitutional rights were violated for no other reason than their Japanese heritage. Many lost their homes, farms and businesses.

“It was a failure of American democracy, and yet because most Americans are not aware of that dark chapter of American history, it’s about to be repeated,” said George Takei, actor and activist.

“And Then They Came for Us,” a documentary featuring Takei and others who were incarcerated in internment camps, will be shown on Sunday, February 10 at Adat Shalom Synagogue, 29901 Middlebelt Road in Farmington Hills. The program will be held from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. and will include a panel discussion moderated by Rev. Dr. Charles Packer, senior minister of the Pine Hill Congregational Church. Panelists will include Rabbi Rachel Shere of Adat Shalom Synagogue; Rana Elmir, deputy director of the ACLU of Michigan; Padma Kuppa, Michigan State Representative for Troy and Clawson; and J. Michael Mitchell of the Waterford Refugee Welcome Alliance.

The program is sponsored by the Waterford Refugee Welcome Alliance, the Race Relations and Diversity Task Force, the InterFaith Leadership Council of Metropolitan Detroit, and WISDOM (Women’s Interfaith Solutions for Dialogue and Outreach in Metro Detroit.)

The community is welcome to this free event. Participants are asked to register in advance by calling Jasmine Jenkins at (419) 561-5772.